Bristle Worm Opinions

[cardsfan16]

Hi Everyone,
Last week I added the first 50 lbs. of live rock to my new 75 gallon tank. I've yet to stock it with anything else; however, at night I'm beginning to notice what are definitely bristle worms. They look exactly like the pic on the 'hitchhiker' thread. I'm seeing as many as 4 at a time, which means there are probably a lot more than that in there.
How much of a concern are these and what, if anything, should be done about them? I'm stocking the tank with basic inverts and some fish as time goes on, but am likely staying away from the more sophisticated varieties and corals.
Thanks for your opinions!

 

[nicetry]

By in large, they are beneficial detrivores. There are some species that pose a danger, but the garden variety found in most tanks are harmless to living fish/corals/inverts. Leave them be. Yeah, you probably have a lot more than you're seeing, but they'll help keep the tank clean and the substrate stirred.

 

[cardsfan16]

Thanks for your input nicetry. It seems they have a very bad reputation and it seems very easy to get worked up over them even though as you say most are harmless. From what I understand there are quite a few inverts and fish out there that actual make a meal of them as well, so I'm considering adding one of them to my list of inhabitants I plan on introducting in the coming months.
I've been lucky otherwise though in terms of hitchhikers with the new live rock. Noticed a dime-sized starfish this morning when turning on the lights before heading to work, and I'm seeing alot of pods cruising around at night as well.

 

[mr_bill]

I would leave the worms, I really doubt you have one of the bad ones. They are so rare it would be very very unlucky for you to have the evil carnivorous species. The main complaint I've seen is that on occasion someone gets bit by the little buggers. I'd say the benefit out weighs the slight chance of bite.

 

[revjda]

My son has a bristle worm in his 12 gal. nanotank. I have seen it in the live rock. He swears that the hole where it resides in the rock is getting larger. Has anyone heard that bristle worm eats live rock?

 

[kazam]

I have lots of bristle worms and i want to get rid of them ( getting a six line wrasse soon). Some ppl say the are harmless but from reading The Reef Aquarium volume 1 and 2 that they could be bad on some corals. About holes in the live rock, i have to agree with your son, cause i have many more and bigger holes in my live rocks.

 

[fishieness]

weather they are fish/reef safe or not, that depends on the type of the worm. But most that you will find are benificial and will die out eventualy if you do not overfeed your fish.